The Indiana House of Representatives voted unanimously to advance State Rep. Kendell Culp's (R-Rensselaer) legislation that would launch a statewide inventory of farmland lost in Indiana over the last 12 years.
Since 1982, a total of 831,000 acres of farmland has been lost in Indiana, according to the ISDA. Culp, a grain and livestock producer and vice chair of the House Environmental Affairs Committee, said it is time to take stock of Hoosier farmland. Culp's House Bill 1557, which now advances to the Indiana Senate for consideration, would task the Indiana State Department of Agriculture with conducting a statewide inventory of agricultural land lost from 2010 to 2022, and reporting on the causes for the losses.
"Prime farmland continues to be developed for other purposes, which undermines global food security, local food systems and the environment," Culp said. "As the nation's breadbasket, Indiana benefits greatly from agricultural prosperity. With Indiana continuing to grow in terms of population and advancements, we must take stock of our valuable farmland and make sure we continue to protect this great asset."
According to the ISDA, Indiana is the eighth-largest agricultural exporter in the nation and the 10th largest farming state in the nation.
To learn more about Culp's House Bill 1557, visit iga.in.gov.
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State Rep. Kendell Culp (R-Rensselaer) represents House District 16,
which includes portions of Jasper, Pulaski, Starke and White counties.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.
